C5 Suspension Noise

[reblack68]

Our C5 has recently developed a bit of a strange noise.

It's a sort of click/clank noise that happens on speed bumps or sometimes on undulations on the road. Sometimes it will do it on the up and down strokes and sometimes down only. Very occasionally it will click when you get in the car.

Sometimes it sounds as if the noise is coming from under the front seats and sometimes it sounds like it's from the back. You never feel anything, just the noise. I've jacked the car up and down, and moved it up and down on the pump. I got one noise but can't make it happen again.

Any ideas?

[reblack68]

Forgot to say, it's a 2002 HDi LX Estate with the basic suspension.

[VertVega]

... It's a sort of click/clank noise that happens on speed bumps ...

If it were a Xantia I would have suggested the rear arm bearings but don't know so much about C5
Did you check if the rear tyres are a bit tilted, like // --- \\ ?

[bencowell]

It will be the droplinks.
I used to get it on hump back bridges, the down side of speed bumps and when the road changed direction quickly.

They are really easy to change with just 2 bolts on each (unless the bolts won't come undone!)

[reblack68]

It's worth mentioning that it was due an MOT so I presented it in the hope that whatever it was would show up and I could fix it, but it passed.

VertVega- The wheels seem reasonably upright, how would I check the rear arm bearings?

Bencowell- I did wonder about droplinks, it was a different noise the last time they went but it did transmit all over the place. I'll check them tomorrow.

My patented method for removing droplinks destructively involves levering them off the ball then gripping the ball with vice grips.

[bencowell]

I just used a drop of plus gas, waited 30 minutes and they came off as if brand new. Car is only 4 years old though.

[VertVega]

... VertVega- The wheels seem reasonably upright, how would I check the rear arm bearings? ...

As a general information, 2 bearings (describing from Xantia) are in the rear suspension arm
and they can be seen only when it's disassembled. Long bolt and nut holds it in the arm.
Don't worry about bearings yet

----
Edit: Here's a pic I've sent for Xantia sometimes ago, C5 has a very similar rear arm structure.
I hope this will help you 'see' how the bearings (#9 in pic) are 'hidden'

[cachaciero]

.



Don't worry about bearings yet

Why not? it's an estate rear radius bearing failure would appear to be quite common from 70K on.

cachaciero

[fred1]

Hi,

It could well be the rear arm bearings - When those on my 51 2.2 C5 failed I had the sharp clicking noise over bumps etc without any sign of wheel incline change.

John

[reblack68]

I was afraid of that

Is there a way to check without dismantling?

What's the best source for replacement bearings? It seems they are the same as the Xantia ones.

[VertVega]

... Is there a way to check without dismantling?...
It seems they are the same as the Xantia ones.

Looking at the pic below, it's almost the same as in Xantia
This one is for C5 II Estate --->




You can buy repair kit and recently there was a pic of it sent by CitroJim ---> a picture of the rear arm bearing kit <---

[Citroenmad]

I wouldn't say its the drop links, it will almost certainly be the rear radius arm bearings, probably the n/s as that usually gets more abuse.

Our previous C5 estate needed to have a arm bearing at 105K miles. It sounded just as you described, clonking and banging over bumps, the noise would often travel through the car so it seemed like the noise came from under the front seats.

They are not a massive job to replace, just like the Xantias.

[reblack68]

I've more or less decided that it's the n/s bearings now. I've looked into it a bit and it seems it's not the disaster it can be on other Peugeots/Citroens- a simple and cheap enough job to do without a 100% positive diagnosis. From the C5 owners' replies it's sounding pretty likely though.

Thanks everybody for the help.

[reblack68]

I still haven't got around to fixing this, the car doesn't get used a lot and you can avoid making the noise with careful driving.

I've been using the Volvo in this weather, with the possible exception of traction everything about it performs far better than the C5 in this weather, but it's decided to give alternator trouble so I had to press the C5 into service yesterday.

I started off as normal, watching how I hit the bumps, but then I realised the noise wasn't happening. I started driving a bit harder and all was quiet. This makes me wonder if my initial suspicions about something rattling in the heatshield were correct after all. The rear washer hose was prime suspect and this, of course, was frozen solid yesterday.

My question now is- would freezing temperatures silence a shot rear arm bearing?

[cachaciero]

My question now is- would freezing temperatures silence a shot rear arm bearing?

Interesting question

Any grease left would be a lot thicker, and any water in the bearing would likely be frozen solid, as for the rest well cold will shrink the metal but as it's all steel contraction should be equall although........
the bit that actually holds the bolts i.e the subframe is an aluminium alloy assembly that would shrink more I'll let others comment on the implications of that.

cachaciero